Naming trends reflect culture, history, social change in Türkiye

In Türkiye, the names given to children have long reflected not only family traditions but also cultural, religious and social shifts. A deep dive into this phenomenon reveals how the choices of names have evolved dramatically over the past two centuries, particularly since the Tanzimat Era, when the country began a process of modernization.

Professor Doğan Gürpınar, a faculty member of the Sociology Department at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), explored these changes in his extensive research titled “The History of Personal Names in Türkiye,” later published as a book.

His study examines how personal names can signal a person’s regional origin, cultural identity, religious background, emotions, or ideological stance and in some cases, even carry no discernible meaning at all.

In recent years, a noticeable trend has emerged in Türkiye, particularly in girls’ names. Parents are increasingly choosing names such as Asel, Lina, Lalin, Lavin, Linda, Almina, Pera, Alisa, Çise, Aysima, Mira, Mia, Mila, Esila and Eva, or reviving specific traditional names.

Gürpınar explained that having children is one of life’s most special moments and the name given to a child is a defining part of this experience. While in the past, names such as Ahmet, Mehmet, Zehra and Zeynep were common and widely recognized, today, parents prefer more unique and uncommon names for their children.

“In the traditional world, what mattered was the past. Giving a child the name of a grandfather or grandmother was a way of placing the child within the family lineage. In modern urban life, it is quite the opposite; names are chosen to connect the child with the future,” Gürpınar noted.

He observed that the Tanzimat Era marked the beginning of a trend in which children’s names were linked to positive qualities and virtues. While it once took about 50 years for a name to become common and lose its novelty, today, the accelerated flow of information makes names widely known – and quickly dated.

“A name that was brand new 10-15 years ago may suddenly be abandoned for a new one. It’s not that names themselves are changing, but their lifespan is shortening. Today, many names are looked down upon with the question, ‘Where did that come from?’ Names like Necdet, Nilgün, Kemal or Zeki, which now feel traditional to us, were not common in the past. For example, Nilgün can be directly dated to 1950 because it originated from Refik Halit Karay’s novel; before that, it did not exist,” he added.

The influence of literature on naming practices was particularly pronounced in the 1940s and 1950s. Novel characters like Nilgün from Karay’s novel, Nalan from Kerime Nadir’s Hıçkırık, and Funda, another character from Nadir’s novels, became popular names.

Interestingly, the name Funda, meaning “bush,” was initially used for a boy but later transitioned to a girl’s name. Gürpınar compared the impact of novels in that era to the role of television series today, which continue to shape naming trends. Historical series, in particular, have prompted a revival of older names.

Some names fall out of favor due to associations with notorious individuals or characters. Gürpınar cited Adolf as the clearest example: due to Hitler, nobody gives this name today. The American name Donald, once widely used in the early 20th century, gradually declined in popularity, with Donald Trump being an unusual exception.

The rise of Disney’s Donald Duck in the 1930s also discouraged parents from choosing the name. Similarly, the previously common name Şaban declined after the Hababam Sınıfı films’ character “Inek Şaban” became widely known in the 1970s.

Regional origins also influence names in Türkiye. Gürpınar highlighted examples such as Şehmus in Diyarbakır and Mardin, Abuzer and Şeyho in Adıyaman, Ökkeş in Kahramanmaraş and Bestami in Hatay. While some names originate from local shrines, others remain region-specific and do not become nationalized. Around Adana, names like Cumali and Vahap are still used locally.

Families living abroad face additional dynamics when naming children. Choosing names similar to the host country’s culture may reflect an intent to integrate or assimilate, whereas selecting traditional names from their own culture may express a desire for the child to maintain a connection to their heritage.

Religious, political and class factors also play significant roles. The names of prophets, caliphs, and companions of the Prophet Muhammad are well-known. At the end of the 19th century, Persian names gained popularity in literature and art, spreading across Türkiye.

Following the Republic, Turkification and secularization policies influenced the selection of names. Names inspired by historical Turkish figures, such as Mete, Atilla, Alparslan and Yavuz, as well as names starting with “Er” (meaning “soldier”), like Erman, Erkut and Ertuğrul, became widely used.

Gürpınar emphasized that a name’s sound, its phonetic resonance, is as important as its meaning. Famous individuals, including politicians and athletes, also shape trends. Footballers such as Metin Oktay, Can Bartu, and Ogün Altıparmak inspired a wave of names during their prominence.

He also noted that naming practices reflect social dynamics; the upper classes often choose rare or newly introduced names to signal their status. Later, middle classes aspiring to align themselves with the upper class, and eventually broader social groups, adopt these names as well, continuing the cycle of evolving naming trends.